Terracotta Tiles have been around in certain parts of the world for over two millennia, in fact the word Terracotta means burned earth. The ancient Romans used a variety of terracotta tiles in their villas and palaces for many centuries. Terracotta tiles are thicker than most modern tiles giving them strength and durability.

The one big downside to Terracotta is the fact that it has no glaze on the surface and can pick up and store muck and dirt very quickly. If you have ever owned a Terracotta floor before you will be able to relate to this problem however the answer is to ensure you have the correct sealer in place.

The photographs at the top of this page were taken from a job we did at a restaurant in Ethiopia where the tiles were ingrained with black dirt and proved most difficult to clean; normally we only recommend 9 coats of sealer for Terracotta but in this case used 12 coats for this floor due to the high traffic.

Deep Cleaning Terracotta

If you have layers of wax on the surface of the tile then you will need to remove it using Wax Away. Once applied leave it to soak in for at least 15 minutes and then add more water before you start to work the solution it into the tile. We recommend using buffing machine fitted with a Black pad or Polly Brush for this. If you don't have a buffing machine available you can use a old fashioned deck brush or hand held scrubbing brush but naturally this will take longer. Use a wet vacuum to remove the soiled cleaning solution and the once all the Wax is removed give the floor a rinse with more water to remove any trace of cleaning solution.

For the removal of dirt and ingrained soiling or for the removal of a a topical water based Acrylic sealer use a dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean (1 part Pro-Clean with 3 parts water). Pro-Clean is especially formulated Tile and Grout cleaner designed to remove Grease, Grime and general dirt build-up that can also be used to strip off synthetic and acrylic sealers as well as other floor finishes. It can be applied using a deck brush or a buffing machine fitted with a black pad.
For stubborn areas of heavy build-up of dirt or sealer we would recommend following up with NanoTech HBU (please ensure the tile is wetted before applying).

Tile Doctor Remove and Go is very effective at removing impregnating sealers and can be applied undiluted and used in the same way as Pro-Clean. It's worth noting that Pro-Clean is better with the removal of topical sealers however if you are unable to determine which sealer has been used previously then you may need to utilise both products.

After cleaning the pH level of the floor will be alkaline so its best to neutralise this by giving the floor an acid rinse using Grout Cleanup. Using this product has other benefits to, ie.:

• Cleans the Grout and removes old grout smears or hazing.
• It neutralises any alkaline salts inherent in the floor thus preventing the build-up of Efflorescence which can be a problem with older floors.
• It will neutralises alkaline cleaners used to clean the floor.
• Provides for a better bond with the sealer.

After treatement the solution should be rinsed off with water and removed with a wet vacuum. The floor should then be left to fully dry before applying a sealer.

Sealing Terracotta Tiles

The best sealant we find for Terracotta is a topical sealer called Seal and Go that generally leaves a satin finish that coats the tiles to stop dirt and grime penetrating into the clay. An impregnating sealer (that generally leaves a matt finish) does not work particularly well with a soft clay such as Mexican Terracotta due to the high porosity of the clay. Tile Doctor recommends that Terracotta in particular requires a regular top up of sealer in high traffic areas once or twice a year.

MEXICAN (hand-made)

This type of clay is not made to a great standard and thus the porosity levels between each tile can vary greatly, this makes them hard to clean, hard to seal and generally harder to maintain. UK Tile Doctors have been trained to cope with these issues however it should be noted even with the right equipment, products and experience no guarantee can be made on a satisfactory outcome of what we at Tile Doctor and a customer would call a great finish given the low quality of this product.

Once the floor has been cleaned and dried apply Tile Doctor Seal & Go sealer with a paint-pad applicator and tray. Spanish or Mexican terracotta tiles are very porous and may require up to 8 or 9 coats of sealant, always allow to dry before applying the next coat.

FRENCH, ITALIAN OR SPANISH (semi hand-made)

These tiles are generally made in a factory with some artizan involvement however the quality of the kiln is far better than Mexican and so are easier to clean, to seal and to maintain; naturally this results in a higher production cost. 

Once the floor has been cleaned and dried apply Tile Doctor Seal & Go sealer with a paint-pad applicator and tray. terracotta tiles typically require between 6 and 8 coats of sealant, always allow to dry before applying the next coat.

Maintenance Cleaning

Sealers will break down after 2-3 years (depending on usage and cleaning products used) so for regular cleaning use a sealer friendly cleaning product such as Neutral Tile Cleaner which has been especially formulated for the regular cleaning of Sealed Stone and Tile surfaces keeping them fresh with a pleasant lemon scent.

Efflorescence

Efflorescence problems usually occur when salts are in contact with the tile from an outside source. This is most evident in porous tiles such as Terracotta where the efflorescence can rise through. For example we have come across a number of jobs where the contractor has used a sand and cement mix with terracotta tiles and over a short period of time the salts that are evident in the sand and cement crystallise into the tile and a whitish bloom develops on the surface of the tile often cracking the sealer. If a cement based adhesive was used from a reputable tile shop this problem would never have occurred.
A solution of Grout Clean-up diluted with 3 parts water will ease the problem temporarily, but you will find in most cases the efflorescence will repeat itself until all the salt crystals have evaporated on the surface, and this can take several weeks in some instances. In worst case scenarios Tile Doctor has developed a new product called Acid Gel to combat efflorescence issues which is applied neat.

Recommended Products for Terracotta

When using our products please take time to familiarise yourself with the directions on the back of the bottle before use.